Published on 1 June 2023

Dear colleagues,

Western Health continues to monitor closely the status of COVID in our communities and the impact on patient presentations and admissions. The month of May has seen the largest numbers of positive patients with 682 presentations and 182 admissions across 3 hospitals since November/December 2022. This is a 32% increase in presentations from April, with a corresponding 27% increase in admissions. Today, Western Health has 46 positive cases with one patient in ICU, 11 suspected or quarantined cases and 46 COVID recovered in our care. Western Health continues to see small cluster patient outbreaks in several areas across sites.

Many of the patient cases being monitored by the Infection Prevention team are noted to have waning immunity, with few having had vaccination boosters in the last 6 months. Some have not had vaccines since 2021.

With COVID cases and hospitalisations increasing, we’ve made the decision to implement some additional infection prevention measures aimed at protecting staff, patients and visitors.

Please see the comprehensive COVID update below for further information.

Patient COVID-19 vaccinations

Western Health is asking medical teams to assess inpatient COVID-19 vaccination status. If the patients have not had a COVID vaccination or COVID infection in the last 6 months they should be offered a COVID vaccine. COVID-19 vaccines can be organised through the COVID In-Reach vaccination Immunisers, please review the Booking In-Reach COVID-19 Vaccination Quick Reference Guide for required details and inreachcovidvax@wh.org.au

All patients being transferred to the Sunshine inpatient Rehabilitation ward, Footscray 3B, Williamstown and Grant Lodge at Bacchus Marsh should be prioritised for vaccination before transfer given the community risk of infection from visitors. Patients being discharged to aged care facilities should also be offered a vaccination. Patient vaccination status can be checked on ‘My Health Record’ on EMR under the ‘Medicare’ tab.

Risk mitigation to protect patients

We are all familiar with the basics of protecting our patients from exposure from other patients however, I would like to again provide a timely reminder of the following strategies to prevent outbreaks:

  • Keeping doors closed on SCOVID and COVID patient rooms at all times, especially by medical and allied health teams – doors act as a physical zone. If you need to talk to, examine or treat a patient please go into the room and close the door.
  • Having patients wear a N95 if they develop symptoms or are RAT positive as an interim measure until risk mitigation measures have been implemented.
  • Air purifiers being kept on the highest setting and checked each shift, if not functioning or have a red alert please raise a BEIMS.
  • Early use of Ventilation hoods to protect other patients to reduce transmission.
  • Shift-to-shift nursing COVID risk assessments.
  • Prompt RAPID PCR testing for symptomatic patients – Infection Prevention and De-isolation Team can give approval.
  • Routine RAT testing regimes.
  • Use of Respiratory Precautions signage on doors.
  • Actioning COVID zoning principles when cases occur on wards and utilising red and amber zone banners outside clinical door entries to alert visiting teams and visitors.
  • Ensure visitor mask trolleys at all entrances are stocked with masks.
  • Front Reception staff can also hand out KF94 masks to all visitors that attend their desks.

PPE Changes to staff

  • Staff in all front facing, inpatient, ambulatory and procedural clinical areas (including offices and staff stations in inpatient clinical areas), the Emergency Department, Dialysis, Day Oncology, Respiratory/Sleep Laboratory, and Imaging, are required to continue to wear N95 masks, ensuring a fit check seal is performed each time applied. This requirement remains unchanged.
  • Other clinical areas, including outpatient departments are now required to wear N95 masks.
  • Staff in non-clinical areas are strongly encouraged to wear ear looped KF94 masks in shared offices, unless in own office with door kept closed. These masks will be provided by the PPE team. Staff may continue to wear N95 if they prefer a higher level of protection.
  • Masks are now strongly encouraged in public areas, corridors, and cafeterias – please wear the mask you are using in your role, either N95 or KF94.
  • Please note that the ear looped KF94 must not be worn in any clinical settings as they are not as protective as a N95.

Visitor Masking

Visitors will now be required to wear ear looped KF94 masks to visit patients or if attending with a patient for outpatient appointments. Please ensure these are provided to visitors on presentation to areas with availability at entrances. Visitor non-compliance issues should be escalated via Code Grey. These masks will be provided by the PPE team. Our Public Affairs team will undertake some social media posts to our communities to raise awareness of our sensitive settings and increasing community cases.

Face to Face Meetings

Whilst face-to-face meetings are still possible with the appropriate masking, staff are encouraged to revert to Zoom meetings where possible for this to reduce risks to staff.

Positive staff cases

Whilst all clinical staff continue to wear N95 masks we have continued to see increased number of COVID cases reported to the Contact Tracing team which is reflective of the ongoing increase in our communities. For the month of May, we have seen the highest increase in reported staff cases this year. This may be due to increased community socialisation with the recent public holiday in late April and Mother’s Day celebrations, plus cases in schools impacting on staff numbers.

Staff should continue to report their positive RAT or PCR test to the Contact Tracing team via the RedCap link.

Managers or their delegate should continue to report their furloughed staff daily via the RedCap link as we continue to report the number of staff furloughed to the Department of Health.

Staff PCR testing

Williamstown Emergency Department continues to provide PCR testing for staff who have COVID-like symptoms but are RAT negative. PCR testing is available from 8am-11am daily. Community GP Respiratory PCR clinics may also be able to provide this service in certain areas.

COVID booster vaccinations continue to be available

Staff can access COVID vaccines via the Flu vaccine immunisers drop-in sessions or via the pop-up clinic at Sunshine Hospital in Pod 2 for staff and volunteers only. The sessions for the flu vax immunisers can be found in the calendar on the Infection Prevention department website or via this link.

Appointments for Sunshine Hospital Pod 2 can be booked via the Coronavirus microsite front page link using the QR code. Vaccines available are the bivalent Pfizer BA4/5 and Moderna BA4/5. Novavax can be given for those unable to have a mRNA vaccine.

On occasion, there may be no vaccines available due to restrictions on fortnightly ordering of doses. Please check back if that occurs.

Western Health continues to monitor the situation weekly and will de-escalate certain requirements when able or increase if required.

Employee and volunteers influenza vaccination

There is only 4 weeks left until the completion of the 2023 Western Health Free Flu Vaccination Campaign. This is your chance to receive your flu vaccination free; alternatively, you will be required to receive your vaccination at a GP clinic or pharmacist at a cost to you.

Flu vaccination is mandatory for Category A&B staff.

Managers can monitor their MAP report and follow up on staff who have not received their mandatory vaccination and any staff declinations.

Please ring our Flu Vaccination Mobile numbers Monday to Saturday 7 am – 2 pm to make an appointment Sunshine 0481 468 586 or Footscray 0481 468 585.

If you are a staff member that has a medical exemption request this is required to be reviewed and approved by the Western Health Medical Review Panel. Please submit the relevant documentation to pccbusinesspartners@wh.org.au. This request should include a letter from the staff member’s treating medical practitioner along with their Australian Immunisation Statement showing any applicable contraindications.

If you have received your vaccination elsewhere, please click on link access: Influenza Immunisation Survey,

If you are declining, please complete, click on link access: Influenza Immunisation declination.

Patient influenza vaccination

With increasing influenza cases presenting we are encouraging medical teams to assess their patients for 2023 influenza vaccination and ordering this on EMR. Ward nurses can give the vaccine under a medical order and are not required to be accredited Nurse Immunisers. The vaccine needs to be ordered from Pharmacy to ensure the appropriate age related influenza vaccine is provided.

Other important announcements

Supporting a smoke-free workplace

Western Health has a smoke-free workplace procedure in place with the aim of achieving a safe, healthy and comfortable smoke-free environment for all. To protect staff, volunteers, contractors, patients and visitors from exposure to environmental tobacco smoke, smoking is prohibited in all Western Health facilities including buildings, vehicles and outdoor areas used by staff, volunteers, contractors, patients and visitors.

On-site designated smoking areas have been established for use by our patients for whom mobility or care requirements mean that they cannot safely move off site. However, promoting smoking cessation and the use of nicotine replacement therapy during a patient’s hospital stay remains our preferred practice.

To support staff compliance, we’ve made the decision to close the seating area adjacent to the old Sunshine Hospital Main Entrance (in the Ambulance Victoria area). Thank you for observing these requirements.

Payroll timesheet collection box service to cease

Over recent weeks, our Operations and Workforce Systems team (within People and Culture) has been monitoring usage of the payroll timesheet collection boxes at Footscray, Sunshine and Williamstown Hospitals. Having established that the boxes are rarely used, the team has decided to cease the collection service effectively immediately, and asks that all timesheets are completed, scanned and emailed to the Pay Office at WHpaydata@mh.org.au. Notes will be placed at each collection box, advising of the change.

Crazy Socks for Docs

A reminder that it’s Crazy Socks for Docs Day this Friday 2 June – an annual awareness day that seeks to reduce the stigma of mental health in doctors. At Western Health, we celebrate ‘Crazy Socks for All’ and love to see all our staff wearing their most colourful socks on the day. Abi and Russell, wearing their own crazy socks, will be doing walk arounds on Friday morning at Footscray and Sunshine Hospitals, so see if you can dazzle them with your most outrageous pair!

To mark the occasion, Western Health is also hosting a Grand Round featuring Dr Olivia Ong, a Melbourne-based rehabilitation medicine and pain physician with 15 years of clinical experience who’ll share her remarkable story of being hit by a car, told she would never walk or practice medicine again, only to go on and beat the odds after an intensive three-year recovery process. Join Olivia from 12.30-1.30pm in the WCHRE Auditorium at Sunshine Hospital. A light lunch will be provided.

Thanks again for your continued efforts and diligence.

Regards,

John Ferraro

Chief Operating Officer